Message from President Eileen Gore-Hamilton Township Mercer County EMAIL: [email protected]
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Vol. 68, No. 3 WWW.NJCLERKS.ORG, July 2020 Message from President Eileen Gore-Hamilton Township Mercer County EMAIL: [email protected] On July 1, 2020, I will begin my role as President of the Municipal Clerks’ Association of NJ. I will also be celebrating my 40th year of public service to my hometown of Hamilton Township (Mercer County). I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than by serving as your President. Being President of such a professional and dedicated organization is truly an honor, so I thank you for allowing me to have such a Page 1 privilege to lead this great Association as we continue to face the on-going challenges in 2020 because I know that with your help, we will be successful. While outlining my goals earlier in 2020, I was excited about the endeavors that will lie ahead. While I knew that some changes will come as they always do, I never, ever, expected the new decade would bring our Country and State to a grinding halt with the coronavirus pandemic that prompted schools to shut down, employees to work remotely, and people to remain inside their homes in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease. Days began to blend together as people tried to adjust to a new way of life under quarantine which has made other events in 2020 seem like a long lost memory. I think it’s safe to say that we have all stared back at our televisions to a chorus of voices bringing us information that sometimes brought us fear, but was and continues to be laced with hope as well. But from that pain and fear came strength, and that strength gave way to courage, and that courage gave us wisdom and perseverance in Page 13 knowing that we will see this through. So whatever distraction you use to get through these times, wheth- er it be books, binge-watching your all-time favorite or new favorite shows, art, music, social media, or maybe even a drink or two (or three on a really bad day), we all look forward to a time that our love for our family and friends can once again give way to an actual hug,nti a kiss, the holding of another’s hand or even the holding of a new baby that we have yet to meet. It is my hope that you and your family have been able to stay safe through this and that continues to hold true for you and your family. And while I know that might not be the reality for some, please accept my best wishes for continued good health, and sympathies from the entire MCANJ family, for all of you affected by the loss of a loved one from this horrible disease. To my colleagues on the Executive Board – 1st Vice-President Kim Marie White (Eastampton Township), 2nd Page 15 Vice President Denise Cafone (Fairfield Township), Treasurer Michele Bobrowski (Alexandria Township), Secretary Lucy Samuelsen (Somers Point) and Immediate Past President Diane Pflugfelder (Liberty Town- Anecdotes and ship), along with Joel Popkin, our infamous Executive Director, and our Attorney Thomas Prol, I look for- Gaffes ward to working together to move the association forward. I know that we will undoubtedly be busy this By: year as we continue to represent your interests to the best of our ability. I would also like to acknowledge RichardLustgarten, Esq. and thank out-going Immediate Past President Kevin Galland for his many years of service to the associa- tion. Kevin has always made himself available to many of us and his advice and guidance was very much appreciated. To the Advisory Board members, committee members, retired volunteers and Past Presi- dents, I thank you for continuing to serve MCANJ and providing invaluable institutional knowledge that helps us learn from the past as we plan for the future. Continued on Page 4 Page 18 EDITORIAL STAFF FY 2020/ 2021 Editor: Michele Bobrowski, Alexandria Twp. (908) 996-7071 ext. 210 E-mail: [email protected] Contributing Editor: Drew Pavlica , City of Garfield (973) 340-2000 ext. 4012 E-mail: [email protected] People Page: Pam Borek, Hillsborough Twp. (908) 369-4313 E-mail: [email protected] Advertising: Joel Popkin, MCANJ Executive Director (732) 609-6441 E-mail: [email protected] Day in the Life of a Municipal Clerk: Michele Seigfried, Robbinsville (609) 259-3600 Email: [email protected] PAST EDITORS: 1954-1959: J. Ford Flagg 1960-1970: John R. Zellweger 1971-1973: Joseph E. Bennett 1974-1982: Harry C. Kates 1983-1993: Janet L. Lynds 1994-1995: Patricia Hullfish and Patricia C. Shuss 1996-2000: Patricia C. Shuss 2001-2005: Nancy Hatten 2006-2015: Jim Doherty 2015-2017: Joseph Kostecki MUNICIPAL CLERKS’ ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, INC. EXECUTIVE BOARD FY 2020/2021 President: Eileen Gore, Hamilton Township E-mail: [email protected] 1st Vice President: Kim-Marie White, Eastampton, Township E-mail: [email protected] 2nd Vice President: Denise Cafone, Fairfield Township E-mail: [email protected] Treasurer: Michele Bobrowski, Alexandria Township E-mail: [email protected] Secretary: Lucy Samuelsen, City of Somers Point E-mail: [email protected] Immediate Past President: Diane M. Pflugfelder, Liberty Township E-mail: [email protected] Executive Director: Joel Popkin E-mail: [email protected] Legal Counsel: Thomas H. Prol MCANJ PAST PRESIDENTS * EX OFFICIO MEMBERS 1975: Alfred A. Reda 2000: Nancy Hatten 2013: Nancy Saffos 1977: Otto M. Bock 2001: Sharon L. Brienza 2014-15: John M. Mitch 1981: L. Manuel Hirshblond 2003: Allan Susen 2016: Keith Kazmark 1985: Elizabeth G. Nolan 2004: Joel Popkin 2017: Denise Szabo 1987: Lewis N. Thompson 2005: Jane Williams-Warren 2018: Dina Zawadski 1988: Elaine Wallace 2006: Elaine B. Kennedy 2019: Kevin Galland 1993: John J. Galvin 2007: Barbara M. Hawk 2020: Diane M. Pflugfelder 1994: Kathleen A. Thorpe 2008: Heather Mailander 1995: Christina N. Wilder 2010: Vincent Buttiglieri 1996: Joseph C. Favaro 2011: Joanne M. Kwasniewski 1997: Elizabeth H. Kiss 2012: Andrew J. Pavlica IIMC PAST PRESIDENTS Robert Radford, Hasbrouck Heights Borough Thomas Redanauer, Barrington Borough Joseph V. Valenti, Woodbridge Township Elizabeth H. Kiss, East Brunswick Township Christina N. Wilder, Hamilton Township Vincent Buttiglieri, Ocean Township Joseph T. Carney, Englewood City MCANJ ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS FY 2020/2021 Atlantic: Paula Geletei, Atlantic City Middlesex: Susan Jackson, Metuchen Borough Bergen: Heather Mailander, Village of Ridgewood Monmouth: Vincent Buttiglieri, Ocean Township Burlington: Patricia Hunt, Moorestown Township Morris: Elizabeth Osborne, Madison Borough Camden: Michele Miller, Somerdale Borough Ocean: Christine Hannemann, Surf City Borough Cape May Danielle Nollett, Avalon Borough Passaic: Allan Susen, Haledon Borough Cumberland: Denise Peterson, Maurice River Twp Salem: Melinda Taylor, Oldsman Township Essex: Tara Ventola, Glen Ridge Borough Somerset: Pam Borek, Hillsborough Township Gloucester: Jennica Bileci, Mantua Township Sussex Anna Rose Fedish, Lafayette Township Hudson: Alberto Cabrera, Guttenberg Twp. Union: Available Hunterdon: Ceil Covino, Clinton Township Warren: Kristin Shipps, Knowlton Township Mercer: Kim Macellaro, Ewing Township NEW JERSEY CLERK ‘S COUNTY ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS FY 2020/2021 Atlantic: Paula Geletti, Atlantic City Middlesex: Susan Jackson, Metuchen Bergen: Stephanie Evans, River Edge Monmouth: Pam Borghi, Red Bank Burlington: Kim-Marie White, Eastampton Township Morris: Mary O’Keefe, Butler Borough Camden: Bonnie Taft, Oaklyn Borough Ocean: Diane Ambrosio, Ocean Twp. (Waretown) Cape May: W. Scott Jett, North Wildwood Passaic: Amanda Curling, Passaic City Cumberland: Lisa Garrison, Greenwich & Woodbine Salem: Melinda Tayor, Oldsman Essex: Eleni Pettas, Nutley, NJ Somerset: Pamela Borek, Hillsborough Township Gloucester: Kathy Van Scoy, Paulsboro Sussex: Amy Lobban, Sandyston Township Hudson: Union: Nicole Dirado, Union County Hunterdon: Ceil Covino, Town of Clinton Warren: Diane M. Pflugfelder, Liberty Twp. Mercer: Kim Macellaro, Ewing Township 2 3 President Eileen Gore’s Message -continued from Page 1 To each and every one of you, I would like to ask that you please consider joining a committee that might be of interest to you. You will be able to find a listing of the committees along with a description of the functions and responsibilities on our website, so please take a moment to review and contact me relative to any you wish to join. And while you might think that it will take too much to be involved, in reality it will take no more than a few hours of your time to be a successful committee member. Just re- cently, we have purchased a subscription to ZOOM that will enable committee meetings to be held via online video in order to make it easier for members to attend without leaving their office when job duties won’t allow. This invitation is also being extend- ed to the county associations to use in order to conduct their meetings, so I hope that the county presidents reach out to the Exec- utive Board to make use of this technology. One of my goals for this year is to be able to attend a meeting of each county and with the use of this technology, I am hoping to make this goal a reality. So please, anyone wishing to use our Zoom application, please reach out to 1st Vice President Kim Marie White who will act as the Zoom coordinator. Another piece of technology that we would like to advance in assisting with our educational opportunities is Mentimeter which we were able to debut with the April webinars for which we received positive reviews along with the suggestions which we will incor- porate into our future presentations and communications with our members. More information will follow in future email blasts where we will continue to introduce this software and it is hoped that you will enjoy this new path to learning.